Michael co-founded StartUp & Grow™, a BLG initiative that offers practical, efficient legal solutions
tailored to meet the needs of entrepreneurs, start-ups, early-stage, and growth-stage companies, and
also includes flexible fee arrangements. In addition to legal service offerings, we host a wide range
of networking and panel discussion events in our offices, and support the community through partnerships
with numerous organizations that help propel innovative startups and entrepreneurs to the next level.

Before joining BLG as an articling student, Michael conducted doctoral research in chemistry and biochemistry at Simon Fraser University. For his PhD thesis, completed in 2012 under the mentorship of Dr. B. Mario Pinto and the late Dr. Melanie O'Neill, Michael explored the mechanism under which flavoproteins Photolyase and Cryptochrome tune their semiquinone stability and reactivity, and correlated these properties with function. While completing his research, Michael also attended law school at the University of Alberta. Following graduation from law school and defence of his thesis, Michael was called to the British Columbia bar in 2013 and passed the Canadian Patent Agent exams in 2015.